Our new goldfish pond was in place. We had water, plants, fish, snails, tadpoles and rocks, but something was missing. We needed a piece of driftwood for character, and it just so happens I had a beautiful piece of genuine Outer Banks Driftwood.
Nancy and I were fortunate enough to have been able to take a short vacation to Nags Head just before they closed things down. I was able to fish a little with my longtime friend, Capt. Reese Stecher. The fish didn’t cooperate, but Reese pointed out some beautiful pieces of driftwood as we patrolled the shores along the sound. I knew he had a business, Outer Banks Driftwood, and he explained about and described some of the driftwood he has been able to collect. He suggested I stop by his house in Kitty Hawk on the way home and check out his collection.
Reese had driftwood piled high in his yard and carport as well as the yard of a neighbor. It turns out he ships Outer Banks Driftwood all across the country.
Reese has a web site (www.outerbanksdriftwood.com) displaying much of his inventory where customers can pick and choose and order from one of the finest collections of high-end driftwood anywhere. Outer Banks Driftwood offers everything from extra-large pieces (over a hundred pounds) to small, decorative pieces. Well-aged driftwood is perfect for landscaping, planters, terrariums, furniture, wall mountings and taxidermy. And all is hand-selected along the shores of the Outer Banks.
As Reese explained, wood does not necessarily rot in water. Rather it is preserved and shaped. The tides and winds of the Outer Banks add the custom finishes.
When I saw the beautiful selection of driftwood, I bought three pieces, not having the foggiest idea what I would do with them. The aged cypress root, though, was perfect for our pond and I’m thinking of turning another piece into a nautical-themed, exterior light fixture.
Go to Reese’s website and browse through his extensive inventory. Maybe you will see something to fit your unique purpose. The sky – rather the sea – is the limit.
Contact Reese at getdriftwood@obxdriftwood.com (252-449-02320.